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Gain freedom through the Lord's prayer

Posted: July 16, 2011 - 12:09am

Savannah

The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and he gave them the words to what is perhaps the most famous prayer in the world. I believe that in every moment, someone somewhere is saying the Lord’s Prayer. But do we realize that this great prayer is not meant to simply be said by rote but actually contains a framework for praying in general? Through understanding the significant and profound meaning of each of the eight clauses of the Lord’s Prayer, we can gain spiritual freedom through prayer.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said that the first clause “Our Father” encompassed his entire religion. The word “our” implies that every person is a child of God, and we are all spiritual brothers and sisters. One of the reasons the United States is such a great country is because people of all religions have the freedom to believe and to worship as he or she chooses. I think it is very important to keep in mind that as children of God, no one has sole ownership over the “right way” to believe or to worship. Therefore, we ought to respect the rights of others to believe as he or she chooses.

The words “Our Father” indicate not only Jesus’ intimate relationship with God but also the possibility for every person. Prior to Jesus, many thought of God as a kingly figure sitting on a throne apart from humanity. Jesus conveyed a more intimate relationship with the Creator. He referred to God as “Abba” the Hebrew word translated as “Daddy.” He brought God down from the skies, revealing a God that people can love and be loved by.

The apostle Paul said, “…in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:27-28). I believe that this means that on the deepest level that every person is an expression of God-life, love and wisdom just as the wave is an expression of the ocean. If we would not only understand but also experience our intimate connection with God, we would find inner freedom and fulfillment that cannot come from anywhere else. We would also respect the spiritual and religious freedom of every other person as a child of the one Father. In the coming weeks, we will explore further the remaining clauses of the Lord’s Prayer.

The Rev. Justin Epstein will begin a series on “The Original Christianity of Jesus” during Sunday’s service.

Service is held at the Hampton Inn, off of U.S. 278, just outside of Sun City and begins at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Go to unitychurchofhiltonhead.org for more information.

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